The Complete Encyclopedia of Arms and Weapons

by Leonid Tarassuk

Collectors, dealers and museum officials have long felt the need for a cemprehensive, well illustrated and up-to-date encyclopaedia of arms and armour. With this book the gap in arms literature has been definitively filled. The authoratative nature of the treatment is guaranteed by the standing of the general editors, Claude Blair (Keeper of the Department of Metalwork at the Victoria and Albert Museum) and Leonid Tarassuk (formerly of the Hermitage Museum and now in the Department of Arms and Armour at the Metropolitan Museum). Information about individual contributors, each of whom writes on his own area of specialised study, can be found on the back flap of the book jacket.

The work's coverage is world wide and so includes the arms and armaments of the Orient as well as those of Europe and America. The chronological span stretches from the prehistoric and classical times to the present day. Individual entries range from crossbows, swords, axes and daggers to the sporting and military firearms of the present century, and there is full consideration of armour, whether medieval, renaissance or in its contemporary role as protection for tanks and self-propelled guns. the detailed and technically exact illustrations have almost all been specifically prepared. Finally, a very complete Bibliography mentions every general work on the subject, in whatever language, and may be found on swords, daggers and other armes blanches , on firearms, on artillery and on Oriental arms.

Genres: History, Military History, Nonfiction

Hardcover

First published November 30, 1979

About the author

Has held posts as research associate of the Department of Arms and Armour at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York; Keeper of European and American Arms and Armour, The Hermitage, Leningrad (St. Petersburg)

Reviews

[Sean McLachlan · Rating 4 out of 5]

A useful resource that corrects many of the mistakes in George Stone's 1961 Glossary of the Construction, Decoration, and Use of Arms and Armour. Despite the title it's not actually complete (an impossible task!) but it does make a brave attempt.
My only complaints are the reliance on drawings rather than photos, and some overly short entries for items that have a fair amount of information available. I can understand the first editorial choice as one simply to save money. Hiring an illustrator to copy photos is much cheaper than paying for permissions to reproduce so many photos. My second criticism is a bit more serious. For example, the entry for the ahlspiess is only about 70 words long, while much more is known about this weapon. Given the vast scope of this book, I guess they had to put a limit on length somewhere!
These are minor criticisms. This is an excellent work that must have taken a vast amount of research. Well done.
If you have deep pockets, I'd suggest also buying Stone's book too, for the hundreds of photos and his deep knowledge of Asian weapons. If you can only buy one, buy The Complete Encyclopaedia of Arms and Weapons.

[Andre · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a reference book that details every arm and weapon imaginable. It also does a good job of detailing weapon development.

[Reader · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great encyclopedia of arms and weapons. The pictorials really help bring out the feeling of the domineering effect that each weapon had on its foe.